Praise for Declan Burke: “Burke shows again that he’s not just a comic genius, but also a fine dramatic writer and storyteller.” – Booklist. “Proust meets Chandler over a pint of Guinness.” – Spectator. “Among the most memorable books of the year, of any genre.” – Sunday Times. “A hardboiled delight.” – Guardian. “Imagine Donald Westlake and Richard Stark collaborating on a screwball noir.” – Kirkus Reviews. “A cross between Raymond Chandler and Flann O’Brien.” – John Banville.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

“No, WE’RE Brian. And So Are Our Lovely Mothers-In-Law.”

Mike Ripley, blogging over at Shots Mag, has some rather (ahem) cross words about crucifixion, to wit:

“Now I hate to be a spoilsport, but by Midsummer Day this year I had already read three crime novels involving crucifixion (Ken Bruen, Allan Guthrie and Frenchman Arnaud Delalande, you know who you are.) … I can understand the gruesome appeal of this method of execution, widely attributed to the Roman Empire, although they borrowed the technique from the Greeks, who had in turn stolen the idea from the Persians. But enough is enough. Can’t we just look on the bright side of life for once?”

Mike? You just might want to avert your eyes from Paul Charles’ forthcoming The Dust of Death, and Brian McGilloway’s 2008 follow-up to Borderlands, Gallows Lane. Meanwhile, can anyone out there nail down (ouch) any more examples of crime fiction crucifixions? The comment box is officially open, people …

1 comment:

Boris Starling's MESSIAH. Chris Kuzneski's SIGN OF THE CROSS. Will Thomas's SOME DANGER INVOLVED. And I haven't read it yet, but Caro Ramsay's much-lauded debut ABSOLUTION features the 'crucifixion killer' and has a cross on the cover.